In Marathon, you get to choose from 7 playable characters called Runner Shells. Each Runner Shell has its own playstyle and abilities suited for different intents and purposes. To help you pick the class that’s best for you, here are all Marathon Runner Shell classes explained.
What you will read
Destroyer
Destroyer is a combat specialist built for aggressive engagements.
Abilities
- Search and Destroy: Sustained damage launches homing missiles that immobilize and damage targets.
- Riot Barricade: Deploys an energy shield that blocks incoming damage while draining ability energy.
- Thruster: Boosts forward mid-air to quickly reposition.
- Tactical Sprint: Faster sprint, but it generates additional heat.
Destroyer, like the name suggests, is best for frontline combat.
Vandal
Vandal is a high-mobility disruptor focused on aggressive movement.
Abilities
- Amplify: Boosts movement speed and weapon handling while reducing heat buildup for movement abilities.
- Disrupt Cannon: Fires an energy blast that damages and knocks back enemies. Overcharging increases its power.
- Microjets: Perform an additional jump mid-air at the cost of heat.
- Power Slide: Supercharged slide for fast repositioning, but it generates additional heat.
Vandal is best for fast flanking and high mobility fights.
Recon
Recon is a tactical strategist that tracks enemies and gathers intel.
Abilities
- Echo Pulse: Emits sonar pulses that reveal nearby enemies.
- Tracker Drone: Deploys a drone that hunts enemies and explodes plus overheats enemies in the blast radius.
- Interrogation: Alerts you when enemies ping you. Perform a finisher on a Runner to reveal their crew.
- Stalker Protocol: Enemies leave visible trails after their shields break.
Recon is an ideal choice for team scouting and tracking.
Assassin
Assassin is a stealth specialist who is best for ambush and infiltration.
Abilities
- Smoke Screen: Deploys smoke fields that disrupt enemy vision.
- Active Camo: Grants temporary invisibility that breaks when attacking or taking damage.
- Shadow Dive: Slams into the ground to deploy smoke.
- Shroud: Automatically activates invisibility when entering smoke fields.
Assassin is what you choose when you want to ambush enemies or silently eliminate them.
Triage
Triage is a Runner that heals and revives.
Abilities
- Reboot+: Signature ability that revives teammates.
- Med-Drone: Deploys a support drone that restores health or recharges shields of teammates.
- Battery Overcharge: Improves shield and energy management.
- Shareware.exe: Supports ability tied to sharing resources with teammates.
Triage is best when you want to revive and heal. It’s the ultimate team support.
Thief
Thief is a Runner that’s made specifically for resource gathering.
Abilities
- Pickpocket Drone: Sends a drone to steal loot.
- Grapple Device: Allows rapid movement and traversal across the map.
- X-Ray Visor: Improves awareness and detection of nearby targets or objects.
- The Finer Things: More backpack items increase weapon handling and Grapple Device recharge speed.
Thief playstyle revolves around hit-and-run gameplay. It’s best for fast looting and avoiding fights.
Rook
Rook is a unique Runner designed for solo play.
There are some rules that apply only when you choose this Runner. It forces players into solo queue only. Note that you can’t bring gear from your vault.
Abilities
- Recuperation: Core ability for self-sustain. It stops when you take damage.
- Signal Mask: A temporary holo display that makes you invisible for a period of time. If you sprint or take damage, it disrupts.
If you’re an experienced solo player, Rook is the best choice for you.
Which Marathon Runner Shell Should You Choose?
If you’re still not sure which Runner you should pick, this table should help you do that.
| Runner | Role | Playstyle |
|---|---|---|
| Destroyer | Combat | Frontline pressure |
| Vandal | Mobility | Disruptor and aggressive movement |
| Recon | Intel | Track enemies and gather intel |
| Assassin | Stealth | Ambush and stealth kill |
| Triage | Support | Heal and revive |
| Thief | Loot | Avoid fights and gather loot |
| Rook | Solo | One-man army |
That’s that for all 7 Marathon Runner Shells. There are going to be more Runner Shells in future seasons. Stay tuned.
